


Twice Shy

by coopbastian



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Birthday Presents, F/F, Fluff, Prompt Fill, Requited Love (Implied), Shyness, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-15
Updated: 2016-07-15
Packaged: 2018-07-24 04:12:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 766
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7493376
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coopbastian/pseuds/coopbastian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>prompt: "Going to the mall alone is boring. Besides, I need someone to tell me how great I look in all the clothes I try on."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Twice Shy

**Author's Note:**

> previously posted @flashsvibe on tumblr

Caitlin sips on her daily cup of coffee while her eyes keep on the computer screen in front of her, waking herself up to get ready for the day before Cisco or Barry arrive. 

She’s been going through old pictures of her and Ronnie and the rest of her STAR Labs family for the past few days, deciding to put together a scrapbook or photo album as a gift for Iris’s birthday. 

She has no creative eye for that kind of stuff, but she thought it would be…nice, especially now that Iris is a definite part of Team Flash. 

And when she gets to the pictures that do include Iris, with her face smiling and radiating like the sun, and almost always standing right at her side, Caitlin can’t help the smile that grows on her own face. 

She jumps when she feels someone tapping on her shoulder. She quickly turns her chair around to see Iris there, giggling into her hand.

“Iris!” Caitlin turns back around to put her computer screen to sleep to hide the pictures. “God, you scared me.”   


Iris is still giggling a bit at her. “I couldn’t help it,” she tells her, shrugging her shoulders. “Sorry, but not really sorry.” She leans her hip against the desk, her eyes never leaving Caitlin’s disapproving face. “So what was that you were looking at just now?” 

Caitlin looks up at her and then she is looking down again, feeling her cheeks start to heat up. Oh, boy. “N-nothing! Research,” she says, and Iris raises an eyebrow. “Top secret…Flash stuff–boring metahuman stuff!” she insists, but she knows that Iris isn’t buying it. 

Usually Caitlin is a lot more smooth, more…wordy, as Barry describes her. But around Iris, there’s just no way to hide anything from her. 

“Uh-huh.” Iris folds her arms together, slightly grinning at her. “Boring metahuman stuff, I gotcha.” She pauses. “…Is it about Ronnie?” Her voice is soft, quiet, and her mischievous smile slowly disappears from her face.

“No!” Caitlin quickly answers before she’s clearing her throat. “Uhm, no. It’s not. I mean–it is, but it isn’t.” She sighs. “It’s…for your birthday, Iris.” 

At this, Iris perks up but she still gives Caitlin a confused look. “What? For my birthday?” 

“I-I don’t want to tell you what it is, but I’ve been working on something–something with…pictures…of us.” Caitlin wonders if Iris can hear her heart pounding right now. Ugh, how can one person make her feel this way? After everything she’s been through? 

But Iris is smiling wide at her and Caitlin thinks everything is right with the world. 

“Aww, Cait!” She stands up straight and claps her hands together. “That’s so sweet of you, I can’t wait to see it.”   


Caitlin’s face is definitely beet red, but she decides to push through. “Uh, anyway. What’re you doing here so early?” 

“Oh, right! Well, I wanted to go to the mall today before the afternoon rush. I wanna get some new clothes and stuff…” Now it’s Caitlin’s turn to raise her eyebrow. “And I wanted to ask if you wanted to come with me.”   


“Oh,” Caitlin says. She doesn’t remember the last time she’s been invited to go to the mall. But going with Iris…it’s certain she’d make a fool of herself. “I, uhm. I’m pretty busy today, Iris. Can’t you…go alone?” It pains her to turn down her offer, but there’s no way she can spend an entire morning (or even day, depending how long they’re at the mall) with someone like Iris.  


Iris rolls her eyes. “Going to the mall alone is boring,” she tells her, because she _knows_ that Caitlin is lying. She can read her like a book at this point of their friendship. “Besides, I need someone to tell me how great I look in all the clothes I try on.” She winks, and Caitlin is pretty sure she’s died and her spirit is the one that’s giving in and nodding. 

“Alright, alright.” Caitlin gets up from her chair, patting down her skirt. “I could use a couple of new dresses.” 

Iris jumps excitedly. “That’s the spirit! C’mon, let’s go.”  

And before she knows, Caitlin is following Iris out of the lab just when Cisco is coming in (of course). 

“Going on a date _finally?_ ” he asks in a hushed tone with a grin on his face as he passes Caitlin, and she punches his shoulder in return before she catches up with Iris. 

They smile at each other as they loop their arms together.   


End file.
